‘SIDA to ensure judicious supply of irrigation water up to tail end’

KARACHI: Sindh Irrigation Department and Sindh Irrigation Development Authority (SIDA) should ensure judicious supply of irrigation water up to tail end especially at the areas of lower Sindh within a week time. Chief Minister Sindh Qaim Ali Shah at a meeting on water has directed the management of these authorities to take strict legal action against those who were evolved in water theft and violating the rules.He said deployment of Rangers at most affected Kunri and Naseer sub division was important and said he has been receiving the complaints from public representatives and getting feedback from other sources about the water shortage especially at the parts of lower Sindh. He said though Sindh was experiencing the natural shortage of water but the management concern could resolve the problems of growers by judicious distribution of available water. Now water position is improving and each grower should get his share. Sindh is agro based province, having efficient irrigation system and potential to grow more as such it cannot afford the loss of agro production because apathy of officers. He directed the secretary Irrigation for placing efficient and honest officers especially at troubled places to resolve the problems of growers on priority. He assured free hand for taking steps on merit and in the interest of the grower’s community as a whole. Member National Assembly Nawab Yousif Talpur said though he has complaints on the distribution of water at Kunri and Naseer sub division, but simultaneously he appreciated the efforts of the local management of irrigation department for maintaining the water flow at Soomarki minor and Khachar minor which according to him had experienced acute shortage of water in the past.Talpur sought deployment of Rangers on canals and taking strict action against the elements involved in water theft. The Sindh Secretary for irrigation Babar Effendi said present water shortage was experienced because of the shortage from upstream in Indus River. However, he maintained now the situation was improving and water level was rising. He said he was optimist to get more water in the system and to overcome the problem within a week time. He said we have recorded 103,295 cusec water at upstream and 48,665 downstream Sukkur Barrage, similarly 24,605 cusec reported at upstream of Kotri Barrage. He said withdrawals of 24,205 cusec have been reported at Kotri Barrage off taking canals while 54,130 cusec at Sukkur Barrage off taking canals. With the water level at these places increasing that would lead more release and water shortage complaints at lower Sindh would be resolved within a week time, he added.